27 May; Pursuing a prankster

"You can leave your chick with anyone you've a mind to, mate," was Cotton's reply. He wrapped his hands around his mug. "We'm Riflemen, Zack. We look after our own. An' that means the other Riflemen, an' our officers, an' them girls that follow us, like my Maggie." He smiled at Maggie as he mentioned her name. She was wrapped in her blanket near the fire, peacefully asleep.

"All of you?" He asked and followed the direction in which Cotton's eyes were turned. ".....all of them?" He added. "What if t' disagreements come from within'.. wot' do you do then?"

"Depends who you'm disagreein' with," Cotton said, returning his attention to Pye. "Well, that, an' what you'm disagreein' about. See, if I was upset with you 'bout summat, I'd get Tom Roper to help sort it out - like gettin' a Corp'ral, see. He's the only English Chosen Man in the Comp'ny - an' he's in charge of our mess 'cause of that."

He shrugged. "See, it makes sense for all us Englishmen to mess together. Not that we don't get on with the Germans, but it's just easier like that. If I had a fallin' out with Tom, we'd go to see Sar'nt Fischer or someone, mebbe even Mister Brady. I'm not so likely to ask the Captain 'cause I'm his batman an' I wouldn't want to look like I'm usin' me position against folks."

He took a mouthful of tea. "An', well, what with me bein' the Captain's batman an' Tom bein' a Chosen Man, we'm both sort of got a similar position - though he's lookin' at bein' promoted to Corp'ral one day, which I ain't."

"T' Germans.. they was friendly with sergeant Hakeswill." Pye blurted out and shook his head. There. It was out in the open. It was finally done, and he was relieved not to need and say it again.

"They... what?" Cotton was taken by surprise and frowned at the lad. "All of 'em?" He couldn't believe that.

"Some of them. Most of them." Well he did not know them as well as to point fingers. But there were several, he knew he could have identified a voice or two, a face even. "Many.. yes. They were real friendly...they talked bad..." He felt almost ashamed for not saying it sooner. "Of yourself, of the English riflemen.. but more.. of yer lass...." Or perhaps ashamed because it wasn't his place to say this. He shifted uncomfortably and drank his tea. "I meant to tell but.. then you had so much.. and you and Newbury. " He himself didn't. Twice he needed to admit to it, and as so done, the first time he had walked away a free man, and the second only slightly nervous and waiting for what the men could come up with.

"Hmm." he hadn't been aware of any bad blood between himself and any of the German riflemen. That was something to ask Newbury or Roper about, rather than Pye, who had only recently joined. "D'you know if there's anyone i should be 'specially careful of?" he asked, adding hastily, "I ain't goin' to get 'em in trouble with anyone, I jus' want to know for me own sake."

"I dunno their names.. fer t' most part." He could only name those that he knew had been called by them, others he described as he saw them. Faces, the tone of their voices and a few other tidbits and details that he thought important to mention and that would, in turn, be perhaps more easy for Cotton to recognise.

And it was when he finished with the description and the names, that he spoke on a different note again. "...I know you won't believe me. " As if expecting it to be so. "..But...." He shrugged. "it's said. No matter."

"No, I believe you. Some of them grouse about anythin', though. Hardly surprisin' they could get stirred up by that redcoat bastard." He shrugged. "I'll keep an eye out for 'em, don't you worry. I'll jus' make sure we don't end up havin' to partner with any of them, that's all."

"I think.." He hesitated. "I should not be demandin' or ..wot's t' word.. t' other one.. well I shouldn't be that... is wot' I get. Wont' be me gettin' t scraps.. but them who partners with me." He shrugged faintly. "Be careful 'round them... Gabe. N' your lass too. N' around provosts. They seem ter favour t' lot o' you..well not in t' best way at all."

"I'll be glad when we'm out of here an' back with the others, that's for sure. They prob'ly won't have so much to worry 'bout when we'm off doin' what we ought to do." He glanced towards Maggie again. "Well. Wish she could come up the front with us, like, 'cause then it'd be as near perfect as anythin' is." He bent to smooth a loose strand of hair away from her face.

"But it'd be more dangerous too.. couse t' French would be closer, n' so would t' muskets n' bayonets n'all...mebbe.. jus' get 'er to be with more lasses. They's a sure fightin' force if they want it. They could do it well together 'least... well enough."

He had been keeping his voice low as earlier, a mere whisper in all. "Gabe, I think you ought ter get ready ter sleep. You's takin' t' stand tomorrow. Fer Newbury. With how t' provosts are... they might turn it all around n' say he attacked them. ...Though dunno why they 'ate either of you so much. You're bes' behaved I know.. n' even Newbury hasn't quite attacked 'em.. did he?"

"I know. I'd keep her as far away from the Army as I could, if possible. Though if it warn't for the Army, we'd never have met." He smiled. "You'm in the right of it there, Zack. It's gettin' late. Must be near nine o'clock now, summat like that." He stifled a yawn and swallowed the rest of his tea. "I got no idea. Mebbe jus' 'cause we'm easy pickin's, bein' back up here." He turned to unstrap his blanket from his pack.

"I understand him bein' that...he's injured. But you?..." He took his blanket too, though he was still playing around the idea as where he would think to sleep. "You're easy pickings?..well maybe that .. as of bein' two of you n' one has a lass that gets 'im weak in t' knees, n' t' other has injuries ter do the same...an'.. maybe a lass too. I dunno." He didn't really know whether Jenny liked Newbury, and whether he did her. They were more frequently together, and it was that, that he made an assumption on.

"Easy pickin's 'cause we'm away from our regiment an' our officers, I meant," Cotton said, rolling himself up in his blanket. "There's space here for you kip with us - don't you go wanderin' off again, will you? Warmer by the fire an' all, like." He thought Jenny and Newbury had an understanding, though how deep it went, he couldn't say.

"So's I. But I ain't picked on. Ain't picked on bein' honest tellin' em t' daft folk I was sorry. Ain't picked on in gen'ral." He shrugged smiling. "So it can't be that then." He did give them some space, even if it meant that he was not as close to the fire. With his blanket now draped over legs.

"Well, I dunno, than." He couldn't stifle another yawn. "Sorry. Night, Zack. See you in the morn'."

Pye observed Cotton and shrugged. "Night." He guessed the man did want to sleep though he lacked the explanation that he had wanted to know. But perhaps it was the insignificance that Pye had, and the two men did not.

With a yawn he lay down. Maybe it was that. The two men were significant, and he was just there. He curled up and smiled to himself. That was why Wilton's family received his money. He did not need it, and when the war was over, they'd get the rest. He wondered if he could stay in Portugal. If there was enough food to live off in the country, it would be a rather fine place to stay.

Cotton wasn't going to stay awake worrying about things, not again. He reached out for Maggie's hand. Things would be different in the morning; they usually were, after all. He pulled his blanket a little tighter and fell asleep.

There was no more to be said. He did not worry, yet he hoped the provosts would be flogged. He also doubted that. But at least Newbury wouldn't be. He would also get better. Pye curled up and wondered when the trials would finish and whether he could do more while all the provosts were away. And then he went and fell asleep.